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Wireless keyboard for Iphone?

BFskinnerPunk

BFskinnerPunk

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 7, 2007
45
38
I guess that's the question... are there plans to release a wireless keyboard that will work with an iphone?

This would make the iphone a replacement for my ipod, PDA, phone AND notebook computer!!!

I trying to decide on buying an Iphone, but need this to put me over the edge.

Oh, and will a version of iWork be released for the phone?
 
I doubt this will be able to replace a laptop. Especially with a max HD of 8 GB right now... It is great for surfing the web when away from a computer, and great for making calls, but when it comes down to it, if I am sitting in my room I would rather be using my notebook or desktop before my iPhone
 
yes, but...

You are right... it won't replace a computer, but I am thinking about the numerous meetings that I attend where I would rather not lug a computer.

It would be amazing to haul only my phone and a little keyboard... then, sync it up whenever I'm around my computer.
 
Looking at other options... like the blackberry, Palm, and WindowsMobile phones, I see that every one of them offer wireless keyboards for quicker input.

At this point, I am wondering why the Iphone is "better" than these other options.

I am assuming that the keyboard, iWork, and other missing items will be forthcoming.... right????
 
No, I think Apple understands that you can't type quickly on any mini-keyboard... there is always a need for one of those bluetooth keyboards that allow you to have the full size keyboard experience.

I want to be able to type long notes very quickly during meetings without having to unfold a big notebook computer.

Man, you would think Apple (and 3rd party developers) would reveal their plans.

In the mean time, I am forced to check into other options.
 
Silly

It's silly. The iPhone has built-in bluetooth, and surprise! Apple has it's own compact bluetooth keyboard.

But for some reason, these things don't work with each other. I sure hope it's not because SJ doesn't want people to think it's an admission of touch-screen keyboard inferiority, because there are times when it would be great to have a keyboard to tap on (notes in meetings, sitting at the airport answering lots of emails, etc.).

All they would have to do is add support to the bluetooth drivers for the existing Apple Bluetooth keyboard. A simple software update.

I know a business man who would probably get an iPhone or iPod Touch if there were a way to pair it with a keyboard. As it is, not having the option is scaring him away altogether.
 
Not likely. For some unknown reason, apple would rather not move into this century with Bluetooth. I love my iPhone, but the utter lack of anything besides the most basic Bluetooth support boggles the mind.
 
firstapple said:
I doubt this will be able to replace a laptop. Especially with a max HD of 8 GB right now... It is great for surfing the web when away from a computer, and great for making calls, but when it comes down to it, if I am sitting in my room I would rather be using my notebook or desktop before my iPhone
Click to expand...

Citrix Enviroment, and Terminal Server Envoriment. The iPhone would be perfect. Add mouse, keyboard and monitor and away you go. Good enough work station plus mobile on the go station away from the office.
 
firstapple said:
I doubt this will be able to replace a laptop. Especially with a max HD of 8 GB right now... It is great for surfing the web when away from a computer, and great for making calls, but when it comes down to it, if I am sitting in my room I would rather be using my notebook or desktop before my iPhone
Click to expand...

16 GB.
 
Wireless Keyboard - Needed

I am a new iPhone 3G user. Love the device, but a bluetooth wireless keyboard for the iPhone is so obviously needed, it boggles me. The touch screen keyboard is a good built in device that keeps the phone sleek and clean in design, but it is absolute crap to attempt typing with.

To be honest, I went online to buy a wireless keyboard for the iPhone today, without even thinking that one would not be available - every other device like this has one available! When I discovered that Steve's ego gets in the way of pleasing the customer or offering a simple alternative .... well, that's bad business. After all, the iPhone is consumer driven - like all products.

The time to introduce a wireless keyboard has passed - lets get it done. The Apple product is suppose to make us productive, the onscreen keyboard is counter-productive and far more cumbersome than a QT alternative. Its not a matter of "fat fingering", it's the fact that none of us have fingers small enough.
 
Iphone Wireless Keyboard Update

I found an article concerning MacAlly to release a bluetooth keyboard for the iPhone in March of 2008. I phoned MacAlly today, as the keyboard is not on their site. It appears they still await Apple's approval in order to release the product.

So, here we have demand, we have a need, the product is designed and available, but held-up by Apple.

My question is why? I thought Apple was driven to meet consumer demand and desire .... to be user friendly - I guess not. I only look for one (1) good reason why iPhone users should be held back from a wireless keyboard? All other functionality is given to the device to perform tasks very well, except the touch screen.

Hello .... anyone there at Apple hear us?
 
genuinegi said:
I only look for one (1) good reason why iPhone users should be held back from a wireless keyboard? All other functionality is given to the device to perform tasks very well, except the touch screen.

Hello .... anyone there at Apple hear us?
Click to expand...

It's not a good reason but I will give you the reason why it isn't and probably won't be released in the immediate future. In order to allow for an external keyboard to function using bluetooth would require enabling the bluetooth stack to use profiles and would then allow more bluetooth options (ie. syncing via bluetooth, tethering via bluetooth, sending items to other bluetooth enabled devices etc.). Apple seems very opposed to all of this, thus they have crippled the bluetooth functionality of the iPhone (think no A2DP).

Like I said, not a good reason, but that is the reason.
 
Lgreer said:
It's silly. The iPhone has built-in bluetooth, and surprise! Apple has it's own compact bluetooth keyboard.

But for some reason, these things don't work with each other. I sure hope it's not because SJ doesn't want people to think it's an admission of touch-screen keyboard inferiority, because there are times when it would be great to have a keyboard to tap on (notes in meetings, sitting at the airport answering lots of emails, etc.).

All they would have to do is add support to the bluetooth drivers for the existing Apple Bluetooth keyboard. A simple software update.

I know a business man who would probably get an iPhone or iPod Touch if there were a way to pair it with a keyboard. As it is, not having the option is scaring him away altogether.
Click to expand...

What kind of support to the bluetooth drivers would be needed to make a bluetooth keyboard work with the iPhone.

I was really depressed when I first bought my wireless headphones and found out they wouldn't work with the iPhone, but then I discovered Brando and a A2DP accessory, and 2 weeks later, I couldn't be happier with my wireless headphones and their quality.

I will admit right up front that I don't know too much about hardware and things of that nature, but it seems to me if you can create a little attachment to add A2DP why couldn't someone just do something similar for an existing wireless keyboard?
 
The iphone already has everything it needs to support a wireless keyboard and stereo audio

the problem is that apple only allows voice over bluetooth, and there is no current software fix for this

please close thread
 
chelsea0215 said:
What kind of support to the bluetooth drivers would be needed to make a bluetooth keyboard work with the iPhone.

I was really depressed when I first bought my wireless headphones and found out they wouldn't work with the iPhone, but then I discovered Brando and a A2DP accessory, and 2 weeks later, I couldn't be happier with my wireless headphones and their quality.

I will admit right up front that I don't know too much about hardware and things of that nature, but it seems to me if you can create a little attachment to add A2DP why couldn't someone just do something similar for an existing wireless keyboard?
Click to expand...

I'm afraid it couldn't be done.

The dock connector on an iPhone will not do anything with third party accessories except for accept power to charge and push out an audio output. Your A2DP adaptor doesn't use the iPhone's bluetooth, it has it's own complete separate bluetooth system and effectively is just taking the audio from the headphone socket (via the dock) and doing everything else itself.

An accessory can't push any data back to the phone like they keyboard input. Apple deliberately blocked anyone from being able to write software that accepted such data in the SDK too.

So unless Apple decide to work with someone or provide the software support themselves it doesn't work. And the only plausible reasons why Apple isn't providing them is because the iPhone development team is massively understaffed or because of enormous levels of hubris. Neither of those are particularily good news.

I would love my bluetooth keyboard to work. It baffles me that Apple say they want business users with the likes of Exchange support and then ignore things like this.

Phazer
 
yoomy said:
Apple Bluetooth Keyboard+Jailbreak = Keyboard use on the iPhone
Click to expand...

There's a bluetooth stack that has keyboard support available on jailbroken iphones? damn, that makes it almost worthwhile to jailbreak. if they added in A2DP stereo streaming to that stack, I'd jailbreak for sure.
 
yoomy said:
Apple Bluetooth Keyboard+Jailbreak = Keyboard use on the iPhone
Click to expand...

wow really? do you have a link that would offer that? or are you just speculating? would that work 100%????

but if I jailbreak, I can't say with the 2.0 software right? I don't know, I never found a jailbreak that was exactly straight forward and easy to follow.
 
Gonzlobo said:
Offering a keyboard would imply that the existing touch keyboard is less than stellar. Not going to happen on Stevie's watch.
Click to expand...

IIRC, Apple sold an external keyboard for the Newton...which would imply the same about the handwriting recognition technology that it used. I don't see any reason why they eventually wouldn't provide support for it...especially since they already make a bluetooth keyboard...
 
yoomy said:
Apple Bluetooth Keyboard+Jailbreak = Keyboard use on the iPhone
Click to expand...

stop spreading false information without backing them up

as I stated before there is no current solution therefore a thread lock would be best before people start to start rumors that are not true
 
BFskinnerPunk said:
No, I think Apple understands that you can't type quickly on any mini-keyboard...
Click to expand...

And let's remember that Apple is in the business of selling these things called "computers" such as the "MacBook Air." Apple would be delighted if everyone in the world owned both an iPhone and a MacBook Air. :cool:

jobs-macintosh-1984.jpg

this is a cool link. http://jobsposingwithcomputers.blogspot.com/
 
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